Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the wonderful witch of literature enchantment J. K. Rowling.
~ Nevermore ~
~ Chapter 2 ~
Going for a joy ride through Gringotts hadn't been Ravens number one idea, but it was an idea. Maybe not a good idea, but a fun one! He let out a whoop as he rounded another corner and pushed forward a lever on the stolen private Gringotts cart and rushed forward at a faster pace. Everything went by as a blur and Raven felt his stomach flip-flop, but he was too excited to care. Now this was fun!
He rushed past many things that he remembered from his legal visits to Gringotts. The underground lake, was that a dragon? Deep plunging ravines, which he could now scale with ease. Rows, upon rows of vaults, big and small. Stalagmites and stalactites, what was the difference between them anyway? Hagrid had said one of them had an 'M' but of course that wasn't the real answer. Raven shrugged and continued on his hijacked cart, forgetting the senseless question while shifting gears to move even faster.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Private Gringotts cart goes for joy ride, believed to be the work of the Lost Boys." Read out Hermione as she sat at the Weasley's table eating breakfast with the family. It was passed Christmas now and New Years was creeping around the corner. Hermione had come to stay with the wizarding family after Christmas and was currently staying in Ginny's room.
"Oh those Lost Boys are just terrible. They all need a good...well a good yelling at!" Said Mrs. Weasley as she dished out some more pancakes to Hermione. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Wicked!" Exclaimed Ron. Fred and George nodded in agreement.
"Honestly, those rebels have no sense of morals." Announced Hermione loudly.
"So?" Asked Ron. "It's not like anyone's going to stop them or anything."
"You'd think the ministry would do something more." Mutter Hermione to herself.
"Ha, the day the ministry of magic catches a lost boy, is the day You-Know-Who rises." Laughed Ron.
Suddenly the room was filled with uncomfortable silence. No one moved or wanted to make a comment, fortunately a tap on the window broke the uneasy tension. Mrs. Weasley walked over and opened the window, allowing the Hogwarts owl to flying in and settle on the counter.
"Oh dear, Ginny sent another Howler."
The room cringed as Mrs. Weasley calmly opened it releasing Ginny's shrieks into the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~
It had become the tradition over the Christmas holidays for Mrs. Weasley and Ginny to exchange Howlers. Mrs. Weasley had started it of course, by sending a howler to Ginny about not coming home. Ginny in return sent a howler explaining about what Ron and the others had done. Mrs. Weasley sent a howler back of her yelling at Ron, then just to carry on the game Ginny replied with yet another howler explaining she was doing a few things for the headmaster around the castle. The game continued on even though the issues were resolved, it was more of a joke now then actual anger being vented. Although it did tend to send your ear drums ringing every time a howler would arrive. All in good fun though.
As for Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley couldn't really blame him. After all they had acted the exact same way to her and never really found out about how she felt on the whole situation. It had been a rough year for the whole Weasley family, although the summer had been brightened by the trip to Egypt, in general there had been a lot of venting going on and mostly on Ginny. So Ron really wasn't to blame, although he did have to do extra chores and promise to not interfere with Ginny at school anymore. He was on strict orders to leave her alone or else pay a bigger price. Percy, Fred and George got off Scott free much to Ron's dislike. But there was no reason to punish those that really hadn't done anything. They had warned Ginny a little but stayed mostly out of her way and just observed from afar.
Trust Ron to stick his foot way too far in his mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny Weasley smiled as she left Dumbledore office, she felt wanted and needed. A feeling she thought she would never feel, and yet now she had and it was wonderful. She wanted to run and tell Myrtle all about it but was sworn to secrecy for now. Actually a lot longer then now it could go on for years or even decades. The burden of her business with Dumbledore and her secret agenda would never be revealed if possible.
Being a student at Hogwarts seemed more then enough to fill her plate but now she was more, she was to become a spy and the personal assistant to Dumbledore. To put is simply she was climbing the ladder to success in secret.
Brushing a piece of hair behind her ear Ginny picked up the pace, dashing down a flight of stairs and turning into a secret passage. Perhaps Myrtle could wait; she needed to see Sirius first.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Twelve years we have lived as mere shadows, to what we once had been. Twelve years of crawling in the ministry's shadow. Our faithful brethren locked away in Azkaban. Let me tell you my dear, loyal friends, it's time to rise once more. No longer can we lie in wait for our master's return. It's time for action and for a revolution. That fool Fudge will learn what it means to crawl in shame and filth. To the revolution!"
"The revolution!"
"The revolution!"
"Revolution!"
"REVOLUTION!"
~~~~~~~~~
"It was a close one that much I know."
"Then, do you think they're on to us?"
"The ministry? No, perhaps something worse."
"Worse?"
"Death Eaters."
~~~~~~~~~
"Sirius?" The man in question looked up and smiled.
"Ms. Weasley, such and honor. To what do I owe this visit?" Ginny smiled.
"Well, nothing really it's just..."
"Ginny, don't worry I know." Ginny looked surprised.
"You do?" She asked.
"Well of course, it takes a spy to know a spy."
"What are you talking about?"
Sirius laughed and smiled at the youngest Weasley. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me and I had a feeling Dumbledore was letting me spy in on your meeting anyway."
"Oh, well that's nice."
"Ginny, you don't need to worry too much. If you ever have problems I'll always be here to back you up."
Ginny smiled at the second friend she had found and gave him a short hug.
"Thanks Sirius."
"No problem, now my dear you wouldn't happen to know how to brew this potion would you?"
Ginny looked at him with disbelief. "Sirius, Myrtle and I already went through this, I'm horrid at potions and the ingredients, how are we going to get them."
"Well Dumbledore talked to myrtle about your little plan and informed me. It's not half-bad just we need the potions. So Dumbledore got the ingredients and potion book and here I am left to make this age reducing potion." Ginny smiled.
"So you young are you going to go?"
"Certainly not your age, about seventeen... if I manage to do it right."
"Well I'll try and help you, perhaps we can work something out."
"Thanks love."
~~~~~~~~~
Aging potions, something truly interesting. Depending on how the potion is made, depends on the effects it will have on a person. Though it is good to note that age potions cannot actually change your physical age. They change only looks, height and physical fitness of a person. The potion can neither prevent our fated death nor prolong our lives, but it can fool the naked and even magical eye.
It depends also on the time the potion is mixed and what ingredients are used. The effects of the potion could be temporary or last for the rest of your life. It could turn back the clock on your looks to a certain age at which point you would begin to age once more or it could turn the clock ahead on your looks. All depends on the recipe and the brewer.
~~~~~~~~~~
"You want me to what?" Asked Raven looking at Mad Hatter as if he'd just dropped off the edge.
"Come now this is far over due. I'm surprised you've lasted this long with us without being recognized."
"What do you mean?"
"Wake up my dear Watson! I know who you are!"
"Well of course you do! You found me, remember?"
"No, you don't get it! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"
"You know?" Asked Raven touching a hand to his forehead. The scar of course had been hidden with a well-placed charm but obviously it wasn't enough to fool everyone.
"Yes of course, you are Harry Potter and the only reason others don't know is that no one has looked at you close enough. Not that they'd care anyway."
"So what will this do to help?" asked Raven picking up the vile of liquid.
"It's an aging potion made with vampire blood so that you'll always look the same age no matter what. Even on your deathbed you'll look the same age as you did when you first take this. Your body won't age anymore but unfortunately you will eventually die."
"Sounds good to me."
"Don't be too hasty with this, we've got other work to do on you. For instance your eyes will have to be repaired, we could just give you the standard 20/20 vision or we could push it a bit farther. Elves are said to have extraordinary magic to heal, but in order to be healed by an elf you've got to be seriously injured and not just any injury, it must be inflicted while saving an elf."
"So what, are we going to stage something?"
"Oh yeah, something. Do you agree to it then?"
"What's there to lose?"
"Nothing as of yet. If you're ready then take this potion, you'll be out for a few day but after that we'll have finished planning the set up and you'll be set to receive your new eyes."
"Why does that sound bad."
"Because Raven, to be honest it's going to hurt like hell." Raven looked nervously at Mad Hatter and pulled to cork out of the top of the vile. He downed the murky liquid in two gulps and fell on the ground in pain, clutching his stomach and moaning.
"I said it would hurt Raven, your bodies going to grow several years in just one day." Said Mad Hatter as he helped Raven stand and led him to the closest bed in his home. He had a deal to arrange and not much time to do it in.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you want this potion to last forever or for it to let you return to the looks of a seventeen year old and then begin aging again." Asked Ginny as she leafed through a potion book on aging potions.
"What do you mean?" Asked Sirius looking up from the ingredients he was picking through.
"Well there are different types of potions, so we have to be careful how we add things and all."
"Oh, well then I suppose the one you just talked about, don't want to be seventeen forever now do I?"
"Suppose not." Muttered Ginny as she ripped the page out of the potion book.
"Have you people got no respect for books anymore?" Asked Sirius looking at Ginny and the ripped out page.
"What do you mean?" Asked Ginny as she read over the page.
"You just tore a page out of a perfectly good book!"
"Uh huh."
"A perfectly good potions...actually good job, it was Snape's book anyway." Ginny shrugged.
"You don't seem to put out by this do you?" Asked Sirius. Ginny looked at Sirius and shrugged.
"Hermione rips pages out of library books so why can't I?"
"I don't know? Who's Hermione anyway? Should that name mean something to me?"
Ginny shook her head and sighed "come on this potion is going to take both our brains and then some to make, lets get started."
"Right" said Sirius starting a fire under the cauldron.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You'll help us then?"
"For a price."
"How does ten thousand gallons sound?"
"Depends on the type of magic and healing we're talking about here."
"Eyes, we need healed eyes that surpass the human ones."
"Magical eyes then?"
"We were hoping for elf eyes, can it be arranged."
"Yes, but I will work for no less then twenty thousand gallons and if you want a really good job you pay as you see fit. Just remember you get what you pay for."
"Of course my dear Gwen, we wouldn't dream of cheating you out. What do you take us for, Death Eaters?"
"Hmm, yes I suppose not. You have a plan then?" Asked the female elf named Gwen.
"Yes, would you like to look it over?"
"I'm not a fool, give it here."
"As you wish my lady." Said Mad Hatter bowing and handing over a file.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Raven, mate it's time to go."
The young teen moaned and rolled over. He didn't appear to be thirteen anymore, rather an average height seventeen-year-old with a rather slim bone structure.
"Go away mad" moaned Raven throwing and arm over his eyes.
"Come now it's time, our lovely ally won't wait forever and we have paid a lot of gold for this to happen." Groaning once more Raven rolled out of bed and stood wobbly on his now longer legs.
"Easy mate" soothed Mad Hatter as he helped support Raven.
"So what's the plan?" Asked Raven tiredly as the two lost boys headed out of Mad Hatters flat into muggle London. Outside an enchanted black limousine waited for them. They hopped into the car and sped off into the night.
"So what's the plan?" Asked Raven once more looking at the other lost boys who were in the limousine.
"Well as you can see I've assembled a team of "thugs" to help us tonight. We have an elf waiting for us who they will go after dressed as death eaters. All you really have to do is step in front of our pretty little ally and take what's given to you. These boys will disapparate and if all has gone well you will get your new eyes and we might have gained more allies. Of course this is risky business so stay sharp."
Raven nodded, he knew something bad was going to happen that night but couldn't dream of what.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Times are getting rough for all of us here." Said Dumbledore as he addressed all the people, seen and unseen at the Hogwarts staff meeting. "We can only image what has become of young Mr. Potter and pray that death eaters have not found him before ourselves.
"Albus, do you really think that he is even still alive."
"I have no doubt Minerva that he is, the problem we face is where he is and why we can not find him."
"What about his wand? Wouldn't that have given him away?" Asked Remus Lupin.
"We have tired to track him but either his wand is lost or else has not been used or even has been shielded from us. It's difficult to say." The staff member's stomachs sunk at this revelation. They had all had high hopes that Harry would be found and returned safely to Hogwarts before the school year ended. All hopes seemed to die from the room.
"Is there anyway that we could send out our own search party?" Asked Remus.
"There is, but I have doubts that any of you would agree apon it."
"I could agree on almost anything." Responded Remus dejectedly.
"How about we wait a little, Harry may not be in as much danger as we think. If Death Eaters had him he would be dead by now. It's a bit of comfort that his body has no turned up. Keep a little faith."
"We will Albus." Said McGonagall leaning back and sighing.
"Severus do you have anything to report?" Asked Dumbledore to the frowning potion master.
"Death Eaters are no longer waiting for the dark lords return. They have decided to start their own revolution." Said Snape darkly.
"Perhaps the Order of the Phoenix will return sooner then thought." Said Dumbledore gravely.
"We must gather the old crowd then." Mutter Remus.
"Yes, don't worry I have someone who will be able to do that assignment."
"Who?" Asked Remus. The only reply Remus got was a twinkle from Dumbledore's eyes.
~~~~~~~~~
"So this is it then?" Asked Sirius looking at the lumpy potion.
"According to this yup."
"It looks like, well I can't even say it's so vile looking."
"Hmm, well we did everything right so it should work."
"Couldn't we test it on something, a frog or a plant, anything?" Asked Sirius eyeing the potion.
"I don't know. What did you think about that meeting today? Is the Order of the Phoenix really going to come back?" Asked Ginny mixing around the potion.
"Yeah, it's coming back in a good thing too. A war is coming you know and not everyone is going to wait for the return of the Dark Lord to start something." Ginny nodded.
"So then you're going?"
"Yeah, I got to find the old members. It's time to prepare before we're left defenseless, be careful my dear your roll as spy might come sooner then you could have ever dreamed." Said Sirius looking at his goblet of potion once more.
"Cheers." Said Sirius before downing the vile looking potion.
"Well?" Asked Ginny looking at Sirius.
"It tastes better then it looks...on second thought..." Sirius bolted for the room headed toward the bathroom in his hidden dorm at Hogwarts. Ginny Winced and added another ingredient to the potion while Sirius was away changing the properties of the aging potion. Quickly she bottled it and stowed it in her robes before cleaning up the rest of the potion and waiting for Sirius to return. Perhaps Myrtle had been right and she could do potions. Ginny smiled a little at this thought.
Sirius returned almost fifteen minutes after he first ran out looking positively green and young. Around his later teens in fact his skin was now tanned and his body more toned, his hair shiny and spiked.
"You look good." Commented Ginny walking around Sirius.
"Stop that it's making me dizzy." Muttered Sirius looking to the younger girl. Ginny smiled.
"Get some sleep, I'm going to visit Myrtle." Advised Ginny before she walked out of the hidden chamber and into a secret passage.
"Sleep, yes that would be just perfect." Muttered Sirius walking towards his bedroom.
~~~~~~~~~
"Myrtle!" Yelled Ginny as she ran into the girl's bathroom.
"Yes?" Asked the girl ghost as she floated out of her stall.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"Anything." Ginny smiled.
"Please keep this safe for me. I might need it sometime." Said Ginny handing Myrtle the bottle of aging potion.
"Clever girl." Muttered Myrtle.
"What" asked Ginny.
"Do you honestly think I don't know your working for Dumbledore? Spy and assistant."
"How...oh never mind you're a ghost so I guess you would know." Huffed Ginny.
"Don't worry dear, the ghosts are with Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Your secret is safe."
"Thanks Myrtle."
"Oh, enough about top secret stuff what have you been doing lately?" Asked Myrtle changing the topic.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Limousine the Lost Boys had used to travel came to a smooth halt as the edge of an enchanted forest where most of the elves resided.
"Come on." Said Mad Hatter as he stepped out of the Limousine, Raven followed close behind. The other Lost Boys dressed in black robes and white masks stole into the woods.
"So where do I go now?"
"There's a meadow about two hundred feet north of here. If you run there you'll find an elf being attacked by "death eaters" go and stand in front of her like your trying to protect her. Don't ask questions just go!" Explained Mad Hatter. Raven nodded and took off into the forest heading north as he was told.
~~~~~~~~~~
Raven could see the clearing in front of him and he could hear the screams of a girl. Running faster he dashed into the clearing and rushed for the girl. Placing himself in front of her he looked at her attackers.
Something wasn't right, they looked bigger then the others and the robes were different. Raven realized too late that the plan had gone wrong, he managed to push the elf down onto the ground just in time before a hex was thrown at him, right into his eyes. His glasses shattered and the shards flew into his eyes cutting and slicing them, blinding him. Falling to the ground Raven cried out in pain and launched a powerful curse at his attackers sending then screaming into the night.
He could hear someone next to him breathing heavily and touching his face. He moaned and then he knew no more.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Another chapter finished, next time the Lost Boys will gain an ally in honesty, rather then through tricks. A revolution is on the rise and Hogwarts is back in session after Christmas vacation. The Order of the Phoenix is slowly making it's come back and Ginny is finding her job might be harder then she first thought. Sirius is gone and Pettigrew turns up at the ministry very much alive. People doubt and Raven will see the world in a new light.
Special thanks to my beta-readers Sami and Jeff.
~ Nevermore ~
~ Chapter 2 ~
Going for a joy ride through Gringotts hadn't been Ravens number one idea, but it was an idea. Maybe not a good idea, but a fun one! He let out a whoop as he rounded another corner and pushed forward a lever on the stolen private Gringotts cart and rushed forward at a faster pace. Everything went by as a blur and Raven felt his stomach flip-flop, but he was too excited to care. Now this was fun!
He rushed past many things that he remembered from his legal visits to Gringotts. The underground lake, was that a dragon? Deep plunging ravines, which he could now scale with ease. Rows, upon rows of vaults, big and small. Stalagmites and stalactites, what was the difference between them anyway? Hagrid had said one of them had an 'M' but of course that wasn't the real answer. Raven shrugged and continued on his hijacked cart, forgetting the senseless question while shifting gears to move even faster.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Private Gringotts cart goes for joy ride, believed to be the work of the Lost Boys." Read out Hermione as she sat at the Weasley's table eating breakfast with the family. It was passed Christmas now and New Years was creeping around the corner. Hermione had come to stay with the wizarding family after Christmas and was currently staying in Ginny's room.
"Oh those Lost Boys are just terrible. They all need a good...well a good yelling at!" Said Mrs. Weasley as she dished out some more pancakes to Hermione. Hermione nodded in agreement.
"Wicked!" Exclaimed Ron. Fred and George nodded in agreement.
"Honestly, those rebels have no sense of morals." Announced Hermione loudly.
"So?" Asked Ron. "It's not like anyone's going to stop them or anything."
"You'd think the ministry would do something more." Mutter Hermione to herself.
"Ha, the day the ministry of magic catches a lost boy, is the day You-Know-Who rises." Laughed Ron.
Suddenly the room was filled with uncomfortable silence. No one moved or wanted to make a comment, fortunately a tap on the window broke the uneasy tension. Mrs. Weasley walked over and opened the window, allowing the Hogwarts owl to flying in and settle on the counter.
"Oh dear, Ginny sent another Howler."
The room cringed as Mrs. Weasley calmly opened it releasing Ginny's shrieks into the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~
It had become the tradition over the Christmas holidays for Mrs. Weasley and Ginny to exchange Howlers. Mrs. Weasley had started it of course, by sending a howler to Ginny about not coming home. Ginny in return sent a howler explaining about what Ron and the others had done. Mrs. Weasley sent a howler back of her yelling at Ron, then just to carry on the game Ginny replied with yet another howler explaining she was doing a few things for the headmaster around the castle. The game continued on even though the issues were resolved, it was more of a joke now then actual anger being vented. Although it did tend to send your ear drums ringing every time a howler would arrive. All in good fun though.
As for Ron, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley couldn't really blame him. After all they had acted the exact same way to her and never really found out about how she felt on the whole situation. It had been a rough year for the whole Weasley family, although the summer had been brightened by the trip to Egypt, in general there had been a lot of venting going on and mostly on Ginny. So Ron really wasn't to blame, although he did have to do extra chores and promise to not interfere with Ginny at school anymore. He was on strict orders to leave her alone or else pay a bigger price. Percy, Fred and George got off Scott free much to Ron's dislike. But there was no reason to punish those that really hadn't done anything. They had warned Ginny a little but stayed mostly out of her way and just observed from afar.
Trust Ron to stick his foot way too far in his mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny Weasley smiled as she left Dumbledore office, she felt wanted and needed. A feeling she thought she would never feel, and yet now she had and it was wonderful. She wanted to run and tell Myrtle all about it but was sworn to secrecy for now. Actually a lot longer then now it could go on for years or even decades. The burden of her business with Dumbledore and her secret agenda would never be revealed if possible.
Being a student at Hogwarts seemed more then enough to fill her plate but now she was more, she was to become a spy and the personal assistant to Dumbledore. To put is simply she was climbing the ladder to success in secret.
Brushing a piece of hair behind her ear Ginny picked up the pace, dashing down a flight of stairs and turning into a secret passage. Perhaps Myrtle could wait; she needed to see Sirius first.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Twelve years we have lived as mere shadows, to what we once had been. Twelve years of crawling in the ministry's shadow. Our faithful brethren locked away in Azkaban. Let me tell you my dear, loyal friends, it's time to rise once more. No longer can we lie in wait for our master's return. It's time for action and for a revolution. That fool Fudge will learn what it means to crawl in shame and filth. To the revolution!"
"The revolution!"
"The revolution!"
"Revolution!"
"REVOLUTION!"
~~~~~~~~~
"It was a close one that much I know."
"Then, do you think they're on to us?"
"The ministry? No, perhaps something worse."
"Worse?"
"Death Eaters."
~~~~~~~~~
"Sirius?" The man in question looked up and smiled.
"Ms. Weasley, such and honor. To what do I owe this visit?" Ginny smiled.
"Well, nothing really it's just..."
"Ginny, don't worry I know." Ginny looked surprised.
"You do?" She asked.
"Well of course, it takes a spy to know a spy."
"What are you talking about?"
Sirius laughed and smiled at the youngest Weasley. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me and I had a feeling Dumbledore was letting me spy in on your meeting anyway."
"Oh, well that's nice."
"Ginny, you don't need to worry too much. If you ever have problems I'll always be here to back you up."
Ginny smiled at the second friend she had found and gave him a short hug.
"Thanks Sirius."
"No problem, now my dear you wouldn't happen to know how to brew this potion would you?"
Ginny looked at him with disbelief. "Sirius, Myrtle and I already went through this, I'm horrid at potions and the ingredients, how are we going to get them."
"Well Dumbledore talked to myrtle about your little plan and informed me. It's not half-bad just we need the potions. So Dumbledore got the ingredients and potion book and here I am left to make this age reducing potion." Ginny smiled.
"So you young are you going to go?"
"Certainly not your age, about seventeen... if I manage to do it right."
"Well I'll try and help you, perhaps we can work something out."
"Thanks love."
~~~~~~~~~
Aging potions, something truly interesting. Depending on how the potion is made, depends on the effects it will have on a person. Though it is good to note that age potions cannot actually change your physical age. They change only looks, height and physical fitness of a person. The potion can neither prevent our fated death nor prolong our lives, but it can fool the naked and even magical eye.
It depends also on the time the potion is mixed and what ingredients are used. The effects of the potion could be temporary or last for the rest of your life. It could turn back the clock on your looks to a certain age at which point you would begin to age once more or it could turn the clock ahead on your looks. All depends on the recipe and the brewer.
~~~~~~~~~~
"You want me to what?" Asked Raven looking at Mad Hatter as if he'd just dropped off the edge.
"Come now this is far over due. I'm surprised you've lasted this long with us without being recognized."
"What do you mean?"
"Wake up my dear Watson! I know who you are!"
"Well of course you do! You found me, remember?"
"No, you don't get it! I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!"
"You know?" Asked Raven touching a hand to his forehead. The scar of course had been hidden with a well-placed charm but obviously it wasn't enough to fool everyone.
"Yes of course, you are Harry Potter and the only reason others don't know is that no one has looked at you close enough. Not that they'd care anyway."
"So what will this do to help?" asked Raven picking up the vile of liquid.
"It's an aging potion made with vampire blood so that you'll always look the same age no matter what. Even on your deathbed you'll look the same age as you did when you first take this. Your body won't age anymore but unfortunately you will eventually die."
"Sounds good to me."
"Don't be too hasty with this, we've got other work to do on you. For instance your eyes will have to be repaired, we could just give you the standard 20/20 vision or we could push it a bit farther. Elves are said to have extraordinary magic to heal, but in order to be healed by an elf you've got to be seriously injured and not just any injury, it must be inflicted while saving an elf."
"So what, are we going to stage something?"
"Oh yeah, something. Do you agree to it then?"
"What's there to lose?"
"Nothing as of yet. If you're ready then take this potion, you'll be out for a few day but after that we'll have finished planning the set up and you'll be set to receive your new eyes."
"Why does that sound bad."
"Because Raven, to be honest it's going to hurt like hell." Raven looked nervously at Mad Hatter and pulled to cork out of the top of the vile. He downed the murky liquid in two gulps and fell on the ground in pain, clutching his stomach and moaning.
"I said it would hurt Raven, your bodies going to grow several years in just one day." Said Mad Hatter as he helped Raven stand and led him to the closest bed in his home. He had a deal to arrange and not much time to do it in.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Do you want this potion to last forever or for it to let you return to the looks of a seventeen year old and then begin aging again." Asked Ginny as she leafed through a potion book on aging potions.
"What do you mean?" Asked Sirius looking up from the ingredients he was picking through.
"Well there are different types of potions, so we have to be careful how we add things and all."
"Oh, well then I suppose the one you just talked about, don't want to be seventeen forever now do I?"
"Suppose not." Muttered Ginny as she ripped the page out of the potion book.
"Have you people got no respect for books anymore?" Asked Sirius looking at Ginny and the ripped out page.
"What do you mean?" Asked Ginny as she read over the page.
"You just tore a page out of a perfectly good book!"
"Uh huh."
"A perfectly good potions...actually good job, it was Snape's book anyway." Ginny shrugged.
"You don't seem to put out by this do you?" Asked Sirius. Ginny looked at Sirius and shrugged.
"Hermione rips pages out of library books so why can't I?"
"I don't know? Who's Hermione anyway? Should that name mean something to me?"
Ginny shook her head and sighed "come on this potion is going to take both our brains and then some to make, lets get started."
"Right" said Sirius starting a fire under the cauldron.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You'll help us then?"
"For a price."
"How does ten thousand gallons sound?"
"Depends on the type of magic and healing we're talking about here."
"Eyes, we need healed eyes that surpass the human ones."
"Magical eyes then?"
"We were hoping for elf eyes, can it be arranged."
"Yes, but I will work for no less then twenty thousand gallons and if you want a really good job you pay as you see fit. Just remember you get what you pay for."
"Of course my dear Gwen, we wouldn't dream of cheating you out. What do you take us for, Death Eaters?"
"Hmm, yes I suppose not. You have a plan then?" Asked the female elf named Gwen.
"Yes, would you like to look it over?"
"I'm not a fool, give it here."
"As you wish my lady." Said Mad Hatter bowing and handing over a file.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Raven, mate it's time to go."
The young teen moaned and rolled over. He didn't appear to be thirteen anymore, rather an average height seventeen-year-old with a rather slim bone structure.
"Go away mad" moaned Raven throwing and arm over his eyes.
"Come now it's time, our lovely ally won't wait forever and we have paid a lot of gold for this to happen." Groaning once more Raven rolled out of bed and stood wobbly on his now longer legs.
"Easy mate" soothed Mad Hatter as he helped support Raven.
"So what's the plan?" Asked Raven tiredly as the two lost boys headed out of Mad Hatters flat into muggle London. Outside an enchanted black limousine waited for them. They hopped into the car and sped off into the night.
"So what's the plan?" Asked Raven once more looking at the other lost boys who were in the limousine.
"Well as you can see I've assembled a team of "thugs" to help us tonight. We have an elf waiting for us who they will go after dressed as death eaters. All you really have to do is step in front of our pretty little ally and take what's given to you. These boys will disapparate and if all has gone well you will get your new eyes and we might have gained more allies. Of course this is risky business so stay sharp."
Raven nodded, he knew something bad was going to happen that night but couldn't dream of what.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Times are getting rough for all of us here." Said Dumbledore as he addressed all the people, seen and unseen at the Hogwarts staff meeting. "We can only image what has become of young Mr. Potter and pray that death eaters have not found him before ourselves.
"Albus, do you really think that he is even still alive."
"I have no doubt Minerva that he is, the problem we face is where he is and why we can not find him."
"What about his wand? Wouldn't that have given him away?" Asked Remus Lupin.
"We have tired to track him but either his wand is lost or else has not been used or even has been shielded from us. It's difficult to say." The staff member's stomachs sunk at this revelation. They had all had high hopes that Harry would be found and returned safely to Hogwarts before the school year ended. All hopes seemed to die from the room.
"Is there anyway that we could send out our own search party?" Asked Remus.
"There is, but I have doubts that any of you would agree apon it."
"I could agree on almost anything." Responded Remus dejectedly.
"How about we wait a little, Harry may not be in as much danger as we think. If Death Eaters had him he would be dead by now. It's a bit of comfort that his body has no turned up. Keep a little faith."
"We will Albus." Said McGonagall leaning back and sighing.
"Severus do you have anything to report?" Asked Dumbledore to the frowning potion master.
"Death Eaters are no longer waiting for the dark lords return. They have decided to start their own revolution." Said Snape darkly.
"Perhaps the Order of the Phoenix will return sooner then thought." Said Dumbledore gravely.
"We must gather the old crowd then." Mutter Remus.
"Yes, don't worry I have someone who will be able to do that assignment."
"Who?" Asked Remus. The only reply Remus got was a twinkle from Dumbledore's eyes.
~~~~~~~~~
"So this is it then?" Asked Sirius looking at the lumpy potion.
"According to this yup."
"It looks like, well I can't even say it's so vile looking."
"Hmm, well we did everything right so it should work."
"Couldn't we test it on something, a frog or a plant, anything?" Asked Sirius eyeing the potion.
"I don't know. What did you think about that meeting today? Is the Order of the Phoenix really going to come back?" Asked Ginny mixing around the potion.
"Yeah, it's coming back in a good thing too. A war is coming you know and not everyone is going to wait for the return of the Dark Lord to start something." Ginny nodded.
"So then you're going?"
"Yeah, I got to find the old members. It's time to prepare before we're left defenseless, be careful my dear your roll as spy might come sooner then you could have ever dreamed." Said Sirius looking at his goblet of potion once more.
"Cheers." Said Sirius before downing the vile looking potion.
"Well?" Asked Ginny looking at Sirius.
"It tastes better then it looks...on second thought..." Sirius bolted for the room headed toward the bathroom in his hidden dorm at Hogwarts. Ginny Winced and added another ingredient to the potion while Sirius was away changing the properties of the aging potion. Quickly she bottled it and stowed it in her robes before cleaning up the rest of the potion and waiting for Sirius to return. Perhaps Myrtle had been right and she could do potions. Ginny smiled a little at this thought.
Sirius returned almost fifteen minutes after he first ran out looking positively green and young. Around his later teens in fact his skin was now tanned and his body more toned, his hair shiny and spiked.
"You look good." Commented Ginny walking around Sirius.
"Stop that it's making me dizzy." Muttered Sirius looking to the younger girl. Ginny smiled.
"Get some sleep, I'm going to visit Myrtle." Advised Ginny before she walked out of the hidden chamber and into a secret passage.
"Sleep, yes that would be just perfect." Muttered Sirius walking towards his bedroom.
~~~~~~~~~
"Myrtle!" Yelled Ginny as she ran into the girl's bathroom.
"Yes?" Asked the girl ghost as she floated out of her stall.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"Anything." Ginny smiled.
"Please keep this safe for me. I might need it sometime." Said Ginny handing Myrtle the bottle of aging potion.
"Clever girl." Muttered Myrtle.
"What" asked Ginny.
"Do you honestly think I don't know your working for Dumbledore? Spy and assistant."
"How...oh never mind you're a ghost so I guess you would know." Huffed Ginny.
"Don't worry dear, the ghosts are with Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Your secret is safe."
"Thanks Myrtle."
"Oh, enough about top secret stuff what have you been doing lately?" Asked Myrtle changing the topic.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Limousine the Lost Boys had used to travel came to a smooth halt as the edge of an enchanted forest where most of the elves resided.
"Come on." Said Mad Hatter as he stepped out of the Limousine, Raven followed close behind. The other Lost Boys dressed in black robes and white masks stole into the woods.
"So where do I go now?"
"There's a meadow about two hundred feet north of here. If you run there you'll find an elf being attacked by "death eaters" go and stand in front of her like your trying to protect her. Don't ask questions just go!" Explained Mad Hatter. Raven nodded and took off into the forest heading north as he was told.
~~~~~~~~~~
Raven could see the clearing in front of him and he could hear the screams of a girl. Running faster he dashed into the clearing and rushed for the girl. Placing himself in front of her he looked at her attackers.
Something wasn't right, they looked bigger then the others and the robes were different. Raven realized too late that the plan had gone wrong, he managed to push the elf down onto the ground just in time before a hex was thrown at him, right into his eyes. His glasses shattered and the shards flew into his eyes cutting and slicing them, blinding him. Falling to the ground Raven cried out in pain and launched a powerful curse at his attackers sending then screaming into the night.
He could hear someone next to him breathing heavily and touching his face. He moaned and then he knew no more.
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Another chapter finished, next time the Lost Boys will gain an ally in honesty, rather then through tricks. A revolution is on the rise and Hogwarts is back in session after Christmas vacation. The Order of the Phoenix is slowly making it's come back and Ginny is finding her job might be harder then she first thought. Sirius is gone and Pettigrew turns up at the ministry very much alive. People doubt and Raven will see the world in a new light.
Special thanks to my beta-readers Sami and Jeff.